Head of Media

Division / Department - Media and Communications
Grade - M1
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - £45,546 - £50,109
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week
Shift Allowance - No
Politically Restricted - Yes
Location - Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes
- The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time._

Chief Constables' Message

We really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe.

We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you.

**Chief Constable Tim De Meyer & Chief Constable Jo Shiner**

The Role & Key Responsibilities

We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced media and communications professional to join our multi award-winning Media and Communications Department as the Head of Media.

Our Media Team works 24/7 to issue public information, appeals and updates that help to prevent and detect crime, achieve justice for victims, and keep our communities safe.

You will be responsible for delivering an outstanding, informed and effective communications service that builds understanding, trust and confidence in what we do.

You will lead the Media Team which provides a 365 day a year service requiring a leader who is accessible, knowledgeable and inspires them to provide an outstanding service.

You will understand how to build effective media relations and how use of technology and content styles can keep us connected to those we serve.

As a crucial member of our senior leadership team you will act as a trusted communications advisor, providing expert advice to others in the Force, including Chief Officers and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities
- Build, develop and maximise the performance of the Media Team, ensuring it is delivering against strategic and departmental objectives and maximising opportunity, via communications, to keep people safe, prevent and detect crime and provide public reassurance.
- Maintain and nurture positive relationships with media organisations and other key stakeholders, both in personal interactions and the style and approach adopted by team members, maximising opportunities to promote policing activity that reinforces the Force’s values, or reassuring and explaining if activity falls short of them and helps to deliver our corporate narrative themes.
- Direct and manage the media teams’ processes and people, ensuring sufficient capability, capacity and resilience to provide a 24/7 media and communications service including its ability to flex across communications disciplines.
- Provide direction and expertise to the media team and colleagues across the department; overseeing their day-to-day approach and longer-term development to ensure all our communications are lawful, consistent, innovative, and cost and operationally effective. Take personal responsibility for the highest risk issues.
- Oversee media training delivered by the department to others in the Force; working closely with the Learning and Development Department on a structured annual programme of courses and providing ad-hoc training when required.
- Provide expert communications advice to others in the Force, most often at senior levels. This includes providing advice on higher-risk reactive incidents, including at Gold Groups, and setting the communications approach for longer-term more complex planned issues.
- As Silver Communications (or Gold if required) in the context of a major or critical incident, develop and direct the implementation of communications tactics, working to the Gold strategy, often in liaison with several partners and external stakeholders, to ensure public safety and confidence under our statutory warning and informing requirements, and assist operational tactics.
- Represent the media team in relation to HMICFRS inspections and provide input on behalf of the department.
- Budgetary responsibility, reporting to the Head of Department.
- Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character or work as may be reasonably required, including specific duties of a similar or lesser graded post, including deputising for the deputy head of the department.

Skills & Experience

The requirements for this role are:

- Degree and NCTJ qualification or equivalent professional experience in journalism, media relations or PR.
- Commitment to Continuous Professional Development.
- Significant experience in managing a news media or media relations function in a high profile and fast paced environment.
- Demonstrable experience of delivering effective organisation-wide and localised corporate communication